Questions before I put my chicks outside

[jesssaye]

My chicks are outside in the coop. They won't come down the ramp to eat or drink. It's like 40 degrees outside. There's a heat lamp. Should I put food & water in the coop or let them come down?

 

[subhanalah]

What about using your chickens to make compost? I've seen some articles on keeping chickens for composting and the compost piles are not protected by roofing.

 

[PrairieChickens]

What about using your chickens to make compost? I've seen some articles on keeping chickens for composting and the compost piles are not protected by roofing.

We kind of do that with ours. We don't put down sand in the big run because my dad mucks out the entire run once a year and uses what he cleans out in the garden. The chickens also have access to his compost bins when they are let out to free range, and they're very thorough about turning it. I have talked to my dad about even building compost bins -inside- of the run, so they can work on it all the time, but I wouldn't make the entire run a compost bin... I don't know if my chickens would be terribly happy dustbathing in banana peels and coffee grounds! lol

Then again, maybe they would. Chickens are weird.

 

[phinux]

They're still pretty young. I'd put food and water inside for now. It might be too cold for them. Or it might be them getting used to the new surroundings. But I'd put food and water inside until they're feeling a bit more brave and daring. You might also put in a thermometer, at least on the inside, if not the outside as well. I'd be a bit worried about a cold snap hurting them. If it gets cold enough a heat lamp might not provide enough warmth. I'm not sure where you're located, but in my area it still drops below freezing each night.

 

[subhanalah]

It got really cold here the past several nights. I was going to put the chick's outside permanently, but I'm glad I didnt. It was just too cold for them to be out there.

 

[jesssaye]

My chicks have been outside since Sunday. They will come down to eat & drink & it's really cold out for the past 2-3 days we got snow, but they won't go back up. Why won't they go back up if they know there's a heat lamp in the coop after they eat. Yesterday I came home & they was all down in a corner all together. Do they need time to figure out how to go up?

 

[Tara falke]

I have little chicks do just let them walk around outside for a Littles while then bring them back in